For my grandson's birthday, I gave him a pocketknife, a small, red and white, Swiss Army knife replete with knife blade, scissors, and file. It's really small, I think it's the smallest they make. The blade is not sharp so the danger factor is miniscule at best. I gave him the knife to help him build self confidence (not that he is lacking in that area), to show him I believe he is old enough, smart enough, responsible enough to have something the less informed feel is dangerous. I had a cub scout pocket knife when I was just a year older than he is now. It was much bigger that the knife I gave him. I remember being very proud to have that knife, proud that my parents had the confidence in me to allow me to own the knife. I have always liked knives. An affinity for knives is generational hand me down from my dad who also liked knives and who always had a pocket knife handy for the myriad of little chores which a knife is most handy. His was an electricians knife, two blades, always razor sharp. When he died, part of the inheritance to the kids and grandkids was the many knives he had stored in a box in his room.
When my daughter's were Luke's age, I also gave them a small pocket knife. The knives I gave them were identical to the knife I gave my grandson. Their mom was not keen on the idea of them having knives. For me, helping them build their confidence was more important than her fear of the utilitarian device. I could say they were responsible with them all the time but that was not the case. Sammy brought her knife to school one day. Took it on the bus, took it into school without it ever being discovered. School's have a very irrational fear of knives so it's good they did not find out for, in this world that has gone way to the extreme of being politically correct, she may have been suspended or even arrested.
I wish the story ended there that she brought the knife home without incident but that is not the case. On the school bus heading for home, a short ride of less than a mile, she took it out of her backpack, opened it and offered to cut a girl's hair which the girl refused so the knife was put away. The girl's mother called and complained to Sammy's mother who then complained to me. I was amused not so her mother. To this day, we fondly remember Sammy's school bus knife incident.
Today, Luke's school called Stephanie, his mom. It turns out that Luke brought his knife to school and proudly showed it off to his friends during a break. I understand his pride because I am proud of the knives I own, especially proud of the knives I made. It's human nature to want to show off those things of which we are proud. He didn't open it or do anything that was dangerous. However, the teacher did use the knife as a teaching moment telling the kids that it's not good to bring such things to school. He didn't get any trouble and his mom was laughing when she relayed the teacher's message to me, laughing quite heartily because we had reminisced a few days earlier during his birthday when I gave him the knife about the Sammy school bus incident and here we just experienced a humorous bit of history repeating.
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